Transfer of Change!

Well, I got transferred to Sedalia, MO. here is my knew address 1001 S State Fair Apt #9 Sedalia, MO. Clear out in the boons, about an hour and thirty minutes from the Mission Office. This week was kinda nuts. They shut down the Louisburg area, so no more missionaries will be there for a while. It was a tough area, but the mission is losing 35% of our missionaries within the next few transfers. That's a lot going home. So they've cut 5 areas from the mission. 

Here's a taste of how Sedalia is. My first week, we had a lunatic murderer running around town. Apparently, he kid napped his girl friend and her son in the next town over (Clinton, MO) and put them in a tiny box for 4 months, and wouldn't let them out. Finally they got away and he found them and killed them. Then he ran to Sedalia to hide. Funny story about that. HAHA He was "Hiding" In a house just a few blocks away from us, the cops sat outside the house from 5 am. to 6pm, until they finally broke down the door and found out that he wasn't there, but that he was on the loose somewhere in the town. Classic. They found him in some abandoned house a few days later. 

Next on the list of fun things about this place. The town just East of here cooks the most Meth in the US. But, here's the even greater news. Sedalia is the Highest in the US as far as meth trafficking goes. Makes sense, you don't deal in the same town you cook durp! 

We can't tract when it gets dark anymore because there is a big gang out here. haha. 


YaYA! But here is the good news! There is a lot of work to do, and so many good people. We have been working with this guy. His name is Changou LI. He's from CHINA on a foreign schooling program. When the first set of Elders met with him he said he didn't believe in God. But, he comes to church every week. We met with him this week a lot and told us yesterday that he knows there is a God. And that the Book of Mormon is true. He's just doubting himself. He's going to pray about a date to baptized on this week. We will get him in the Font, he's solid. We are also working with Magdalena y Olivario. (BTW i'm in a Spanish speaking area my comp speaks Spanish) They are sweet people. They are getting Baptized on the 13th. They were set for the 30th of May, but they had to go to Mexico for a wedding. Something cool happened this week when we were teaching them though. Elder Duarte is the only one that can teach them, so I just sit there and  listen. Even though I had no Idea what they were saying. I felt the Spirit still penetrate my heart. I knew that the Holy Ghost was testifying to these people. 

We have been meeting with this Long term investigator. His name is C.L Henkes. He is solid. Wants to get Baptized. But his girl friend doesn't want to get married. They're like 70 years old, and have been together for like 25 years. It's insane. Anyway, he's pretty much a member. 

Brother Johns is a sweet member, he told me a story that I will never forget. He told me about this BYU coach back in the day that was randomly fired from his position, no reasoning behind it, just that the president of BYU said he prayed about it, and said that he felt that he needed to be terminated. The Coach was mad, this devout member just up and stopped going to church, he became less active. Until one day he heard a knock at the door. It was David O' Mckay (President of the Church at the time) He invited him in and Elder Mckay said. "I don't know all of the details of your termination, but I know that you will find out in your own due time, and that it was inspired."  He gave the guy a blessing, and went on his way. The coach started going back to church. He became the Manager of a big sporting goods store, and eventually his career moved him to Independence Missouri. He was called as a Bishop in his ward, but still, didn't understand why he was let go for BYU, or for that matter, why he ended up in Missouri. He was sitting in the Temple, in the Celestial room one day, and he was praying for that answer specifically. The answer finally came to him: "In the Pre-existence, Heavenly Father needed Volunteers to go and be on the front lines, and fight in the battle ground of the adversary, you raised your hand and said you would go". Missouri, is the front lines, the Battle Ground of the adversary, the most deceived, the darkest, and most turmoil. The Lord has called the most elect, and sharpest missionaries to fight in the Battle ground of the adversary, to be on the Front lines, and build up the new Jerusalem. And then Brother Johns looked me square in the eye and said. "Elder Greenburg, you volunteered to come here too, to be on the front lines, and work in the Battle Ground of the adversary, you told the Lord in the Pre-existence that you would go."  I will never forget the spirit that was there. It was so strong. He was so right. Everything makes sense now, the experiences I had before the mission, the need for an immediate change, all made sense. the Lord needed me to fulfill my calling. That's why I am here.  
-Elder Greenburg

Missouri Independence Mission

WHAT???!!!

This week was pretty nuts. My patience has been tested A LOT this week. It has caused me to reflect on my favorite quote. "The dye has been cast! I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made; I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slowdown, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tainted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast, and my goal is Heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear! I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up, until I have stayed up stored up, and paid up of the cause of Christ. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, preach until I know, and work until He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear."-Henry b. Eyring 

That statement above is what I strive to become some day. As I work every day to give my all to him, no holding back, I know that he will bless me in the end. 

We have been finding for 7 weeks strait, and have found only 3 investigators. This seems discouraging, yes. But here is the reality of the situation. It's not that the Lord is building JUST an area. But that he is building me for the area, he is building an instrument that fits the area perfectly. I have come to the realization that I may not be finding people, but that I am following what the Lord needs me to do. The crowning moment here is this: Friday Night Elder Amosa and I were planning and looking for a nice neighborhood to tract in for the next day. Saturday night is the perfect night 7pm. Everyone is home. We planned for  Spring Hill about 25 miles away from Louisburg. We have been having great success in Spring Hill so we were ready to hit some nice neighborhoods. (Maybe find a Family!) After we ended our planning session we prayed. I distinctly remember saying in that prayer "Lord, if we need to change ANY plans for tomorrow, or if something isn't right, will thou make it known unto us?". Saturday night rolls around and we come to the place where we had previously picked. But, something felt off, I felt something  saying "go home, it's not looking good out". Yes, the sky was Black. and lightning was hitting every 20 seconds. But we were used to that, lightning hits but, it's miles away. I played it off as the adversary and kept walking. But then a gut wrenching feeling hit me. "Go Home" I thought it's only 7:30. That's waaaayyyy too early. But following the feeling of pain in my gut, came the warm feeling of the Holy Ghost. Almost saying, "Trust me". We head back to the apartment and it's just pouring rain. I couldn't see 2 feet infront of me the whole way, but the feeling never left. I felt comfort in knowing that we were going to be okay. We get home and the rain stops, the wind settles, and my confusion increased. I was dumb founded. It was about 8:30 now, and I was not going to give up just yet, I was going to be a 9pm missionary, or even better a 9:30pm missionary.. But as soon as I stepped out of the apartment we received a text from a member, saying that "We are under tornado watch, and have been for the past 2 hours. We have had 17 touchdowns throughout the area. Keep an ear out for sirens, and come over immediately if you hear them. I have shelter for you here." My confusion settled, and it occurred to me that It wasn't about what I wanted to do (following out my plans on finding a family) But it was what the Lord needed us to do. There aren't very many members that we could have gone to out in Spring Hill, but Louisburg had a member right down the street from us. I would like to tell you that a Tornado struck, and that something wicked awesome happened like something from the movie "Twister" (although it felt like it for a moment) but nothing happened. The lesson was this: If we had done what WE wanted to do, we might have had a bad experience, and even though nothing big happened from it, I have comfort in knowing that I did what the Lord needed me to do, and that it was only for my safety. He blessed us with 3 new investigators the next day, in the exact same neighborhood we planned for on Saturday. 

I bear my Testimony that God is all knowing and all powerful. His great plan of happiness will lead us back to Him if we follow the path Jesus Christ has made available to us. I bear testimony that the Book of Mormon is the work of God. He directs his work through living Prophets. I bear witness that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, that the Atonement is not a general thing that is for the whole Church. The Atonement is Individual, for you and for me. It is so personal, so cleansing, and if we are sincere; it will change us, not just our behavior, but our Nature. I can't tell you all of the logistics of what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane. But I can tell you this: I have felt the cleansing power of the atonement, when I feel like I have given up all my energy and strength in this work. Somehow, I can press on, and I know that it is our Lord and Master, Carrying me through it. I can conquer fear, because I know that the Lord is with me wherever I go. 

      

--

-Elder Greenburg

Missouri Independence Mission

Refiners Fire

Hello Everyone, this week I had an interesting experience. 

While we were knocking doors on Saturday we came upon a man. He offered us a New Testament Bible for a Book of Mormon stating that "He'll read ours, if we read his". We simply told him that we study from the New Testament as scripture, but that we are here to teach another Testament (The Book of Mormon)  we bore a solid testimony of it and we traded books. He then asked us if we believed in the Trinity. We told him "No". We believe that Christ and God are separate beings, but are one in the same.  He began to start bashing with me, and attempted to tear apart my beliefs. Me being the stubborn hot headed person I am, wanted to lay into him with every account in the Bible that I could think of. But as soon as I opened my mouth to speak, no words that made ANY sense came out. But a still small voice prompted me to testify simply of the Resurrected Savior, the Restored Gospel here on earth, and that Heavenly Father leads prophets and apostles today just like in times of old. I like to say that the man accepted my Testimony and wanted to know more, but he didn't. The lesson I learned that day was Humility. If I would have started Bible bashing; the spirit would have been gone, and my testimony probably would have been shaken Slightly, their would have been nothing that ever came of it other than a painful anguish, and sorrow. The Lord taught me to love that man with all I had and to put my pride to rest. It was a tender reminder that I am called to teach the restored gospel and to call men to repentance in doing so. 

I came across this story about the Refiners fire this week. It really made me ponder exactly what it meant to be refined.

There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi. As they were studying chapter three they came across verse three which says, "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. 

One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study. That week the woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that, in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot - then she thought again about the verse, that He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. For if the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. 

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's the easy part -- when I see my image reflected in it."

This is the perfect example of what the Lord does for us. If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep His hand on you and watch over you until He sees His image in you. It is easy to think Satan is winning in the world right now. There is a lot of wickedness keeping Heavenly Father's children from knowing and coming to the Savior. However, if we can help them come to a knowledge of Him--not just activity in the Church, but gain a testimony and an understanding of the Gospel and a real relationship with Jesus Christ--then they will be made 'full' over time, and their testimonies will become pure and thick and deep.

--

-Elder Greenburg

Missouri Independence Mission

Picture over Load.. that is 2 of the finest looking Elders out there!

 I fully expected it to be Cody who got into a wreck, not Jared.. oops!

 They are all fine.. now whether or not Jared will be red dotted, remains the mystery